How to Stop iOS Software Update Notifications Reminders

The latest versions of iOS automatically remind users, frequently, to install whatever awaiting version of iOS is available for their iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch. While you can postpone the software update 24 hours or choose to install it automatically in the middle of the night, often times users don’t want to install the update at all for a variety of reasons. Nonetheless, you’ll be reminded again to install the iOS software update until you do. But can you stop iOS software update notifications and reminders from constantly popping up on your iPhone or iPad?

The answer is; sort of. This is probably not what you’re wanting to hear, but there isn’t a perfect way to stop iOS software updates from pestering you about an available update. The good news is there are several methods to get iOS update reminders from constantly appearing on your device, each takes a different approach, from postponing the update, to removing it, to giving in and updating, to even blocking the update server.

Option 1: Punt the iOS Update for 24 Hours

When you see the iOS Software Update reminder, choose “Later” and then choose “Remind Me Later” – don’t worry, it will remind you later. Again. And again.

If you take this route, get used to pressing “Later” and “Remind Me Later” repeatedly, as in 24 hours you’ll be asked about it again. And 24 hours later, again. And another 24 hours later, you can go through the process yet again, until you either give in or move along with another of the options below.

Option 2: Delete the iOS Update & Avoid Wi-Fi

The best way to stop being nagged about impending iOS updates available is to delete the iOS update from the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch, and then avoid wi-fi. Deleting the available iOS update from the device will stop the update reminder from appearing, but you have to disconnect from wi-fi and avoid wireless networks because the moment your device is unattended and back on wi-fi… the iOS update will download itself again and start pestering you again. This is less than desirable particularly for those with limited broadband bandwidth, but Apple really wants you to update that iOS device to the latest available version.

Open the Settings app and go to “General”

Choose “Storage & iCloud Usage”

Go to “Manage Storage”

Locate the iOS software update that is nagging you and tap on it

Tap on “Delete Update” and confirm that you want to delete the update*

Disconnect from wi-fi to avoid the software update downloading itself again

* This deletes the available iOS update which stops the iOS update from popping up every day, however, the moment you’re on a sustained wi-fi connection for a while the iOS update will download itself again automatically and start sending pop-ups to install it again. Don’t worry, you won’t lose the ability to install the iOS update, you can download it again yourself by going to Settings > Software Update, or just join wi-fi and leave the device unattended and it will download automatically without prompting.

Now that the update has been removed from the iOS device, you’ll want to avoid wi-fi, otherwise the update will just download itself at the next chance it gets. Typically this happens after the iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is on wi-fi and it hasn’t been used in a while, similar to how iCloud automatically backs up.

Option 3: Accept and Install the Update

Another approach is to just give in and submit to the iOS software update installation. Whether or not this is acceptable to you may depend on a variety of things, like what your opinion of a particular iOS update is, whether you’re able to troubleshoot a potentially failed iOS install, whether you’re busy or not, and perhaps even principle. On the plus side, you’ll be on the latest version of iOS by doing so.

As always, if you decide to give into the nagging install notifications and install the software update, always back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch beforehand.

The last option is to block the update domains on whatever router or gateway the iOS devices are using to connect to the internet. This is a rather dramatic approach and can lead to many unintended issues, plus it will stop the ability to download any software update from Apple at all entirely for all devices through the network until it’s reversed. Because there is no way of preventing software updates through settings however, this is the approach that many managed enterprise and educational facilities take with iOS devices.

For those who want to go this route, preventing access to the following domains does the trick:

appldnld.apple.com
mesu.apple.com

Each router and gateway is different, so you’ll have to set this up on your own.

Again, if you do this, no device on the network will be able to install any update from Apple at all, nor check for available updates. Don’t do this unless you know exactly what you’re doing and why, it’s truly only an option for advanced users, network administrators, and sysadmins who need to manage devices on their own without the constant update reminders.

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Really the best thing to do is just to install the software updates if you don’t mind doing so. Nonetheless, that’s not always an option. For example, I’m traveling, and I don’t have the time to deal with a software update, the necessary backups, and potential restores from an update gone awry.

118 Comments

There’s now an AdBlock app that lets you block specific domains on your iOS device without using a router. So you can block any update server and it works no matter which wifi networks you connect to. The app is a few bucks but well worth it, especially considering the bonus feature of being able to block ads system-wide in all browsers. In theory you could also redirect specific domains, such as the update server, to get unapproved apps on a non-jailbroken device. Though I’m sure that’s a bit more complex and off-topic.

I bought a brand new sealed IPAD Air 2 last year. I finally gave in last month and allowed it to update…huge mistake! I only use the original cord and charger, and now it won’t charge! My IT specialist said that happens because the update thinks you are using a fake cord and charger, but I am not. I bought a real and expensive Apple cord and charger from the Apple store and it’s charging again. Apparently, when my cord and/or charger was made, it didn’t have the chip or resistor manufactured in it at the time. I also hate I have to double click the home button to get on each time. It’s going to wear out my button and force me to buy another one!

The reason for forced updates? Closing security holes so when people try to jailbreak, they realize older software is required. Apple stops signing older iOS versions, you can’t downgrade, game over. This kind of control is not feasible with Macs. The user base wouldn’t accept it. So there is an option to disable updates only on Macs.

Apple is so obnoxious that one has to (a) risk screwing up your device due to updates – (I can no longer watch netflix as the last update causes flashing when I view movies in full screen mode – also some Youtube. Apple say’s f..k you and it’s not their update. They are lying pr..ks.

When you do update, it’s a 15 to 20 minute process with requirement to reset everything on most occasions.

No respect for one’s time.

It’s time we say f..k you to them and file a class action against their harassment!!!

Apple updates bug the holy hell outta you every week to patch exploits and little else. They need to allow jailbreaks or third party apps and quit being so damn greedy and annoying; I may just switch to an Android only for that reason! I hate to do it but dont have a permanent manual solution other than staying completely off WiFi?

This thread started a long time ago but the problem is as relevant today as it was in the past.

There IS a way to permanently disable the updates. No more nag screens. No more automatic downloads. No need to configure the router. And the fix is very easy. I’ve done it to both my phones and they are happily running iOS 9.3.5 in peace and I never get nagged anymore. No this isn’t a jailbreak and it uses Apple’s own profile to kill the beast.

Read all the way through this huge number of protests. Interesting that Apple can stay in business with this much sentiment being raised. A small company would just go under, yet a big company seems to thrive (just like Microsoft). Thanks to @Chris9465 and @Tim above who suggested and described the way of blocking through parental control. I have tried this and really hope it works as it seems reasonably simple and reversible.

I’m 61 and while I like many of the modern convinences, once I’ve established what I want I like it to stay that way until “I” want to change it. Too many bad experiences with updates on older models that can’t handle the update.

I have an iPad that my wife decided to update and now it takes 5-10 minutes to boot up. I’m afraid to remove the unwanted update, lest I loose some or maybe all of my data on the iPad; much of which is invaluable to me.

So thank you so much for posting this. My old iPhone I’m sure won’t be able to handle the update. This old model 5 dose everything I want to do. I have no desire to update it.

I did the updates on my Iphone5s and some of the apps are not working properly anymore and tge phone is much slower now. I did the update cause I could not resist anymore with those messages. who ever did this stupid update. I know they want me to buy another phone but the next phone will be other than Iphone definetly.

If you use DD-WRT or OpenWRT you can filter only the apple devices you don’t want to be able to connect for an update while keeping available the devices you do wish to connect, like your MacBook…
Create an access restriction rule to filter via device MAC to appldnld.apple.com and mesu.apple.com. Only the devices with the MAC addresses you set in the rule list will be filtered and disallowed access to the URLs.

It’s so simple. Not sure of exact prompts and number of steps. Just accept the update but when the steps comes where you are prompted to “agree” or “disagree” with the terms and conditions, then just Disagree! You wouldn’t be nagged with the updates anymore….until the next version. Tried it. Works. You try it and please agree i am smart! ;)

First, to Ihsan – I tried it on my iPhone-SE and iOS 9, (nagging me to update to iOS 10.1) – and it does NOT work. I disagree – and Apple insists…

Next, I have a question. Why is this LEGAL. Why does apple to right to nag me this way, when I BOUGHT the device from them, and it is MINE. Why do they have the right to interrupt my work, or navigation (on the road!) or very important conferencing-call I’m in, etc. just to push me again (after me refusing 100 times) the same system Update?

Isn’t there a way to FORCE on them a “don’t ask again” button, at least?

I ask this, because I gave in to an update on my old iPad-II, and it rendered it UNUSABLE. After the update (iOS 9.x) most every application I try crashes about 5 times an hour (some crash every 10-20 seconds) for lack of memory – as the new system is simply too heavy for the iPad.

Of course there’s no roll-back, no uninstall, not even “back to factory settings” etc. I’m stuck with an unusable iPad-II.

I may be forced to Jailbreak it, just to be able to downgrade, to make it usable again – but that imposes a real security-threat, and I would like to refrain.

Again I ask – does someone know why this behavior is Legal on Apple’s behalf?

Exactly my case. Perfectly good iPad 2. Absolutely nothing wrong with it. The same updates rendered it completely unusable. The Apple Genius Bar employees stated there just wasn’t anything that could be done after factory resetting several times. When even the email stopped running they stated Verizon email service wasn’t very good anyway and told me I should dump it (and the email address of 11 years) and switch to gmail

I was lucky. My old ipad mini died a year ago and I finally got the battery replaced just recently. It was still on iOS 8.41 which works perfectly well. Of course I get that persistant notification to udate to iOS 9.whatever. I researched it and all the advice said DO NOT update! Apple could easily give us that warning but they don’t. They could also easily allow us to turn off the automatic download as they do now in OS10 for mac.

Updates are fine with me. What’s not fine with me is a fact, that updates over time effectively kill my devices. I have an iPad 2, that’s barely crawling after the latest update. I am thinking about a class action lawsuit to force apple to allow downgrades. It is unacceptable to be forced to ditch a perfectly good device that was made obsolete by an update.

My company bought and supported a couple hundred iPhones for years. They are not business friendly at all and we are fed up. The auto update is just the last straw. As a company we can’t control it and support costs are too high. If an employee leaves with their own personal Apple ID on the phone, Apple acts like it belongs to them instead of the company and we have to jump through hoops to prove its ours and reset it. We are dumping them all and telling employees to go get their own and they can get whatever they want and support it through their carrier. Most of them hate the iPhone anyway and just forward it to their own personal phone they are already carrying around.

Hi, I performed the steps listed in Option #2 2 days ago, and I’ve not had the reminder notification pop up since. My phone is on wifi probably 95% of the day between work and home, and the pop up is gone.
When I checked the software update under General, it still shows the iOS 10 update waiting to be downloaded and installed, but the annoying pop up is gone.

Forcefully using Wifi data especially from users that have limited data cap per month is down right infuriating.
Isn’t this worth a law suit? Apple needs to give an option to disable automatic downloads of iOS updates until you choose to do so.

Or option five: stick with a brick phone. Seriously, when did we start needing our phones (designed to keep in contact with people) to keep our lives running. It’s quite sad to be honest. Smartphones are very smart. They’re stealing our lives away and we’re letting them. I mean, come on. All I need from my phone is the ability to text my family/friends, make calls, keep the time and date, and to be able to make craters when I drop them on the ground lol.

I don’t install the update because they add bloatware to it, apps bundled with the update that take up valuable memory space, that you have no option to uninstall, sorry I bought the phone for my interests and app choices, not to have crap, force installed on my phone. Just so apple can please their partners.I use google maps, not apple maps because Google maps didn’t send me 15 miles away from my destination into a cornfield. Apple maps is useless and can’t be uninstalled, taking up memory. I don’t use siri, don’t look at stocks, can find my own news thankyou, added apps you can’t uninstall, taking up my phone memory that I could of used to install another game.

Ii would love some way to say “I know the iOS I’m running is old — I don’t care, just leave it alone.” I have a utilitarian iPad that, slowly, does what I need it to do. It ain’t broke — please don’t “fix” it.

My iPad (an old gen 2 model) has slowed down to a crawl for almost everything. I attribute this to the automatic updates that I have allowed over the years — the “genius” at Apple agrees (and suggests I buy a new iPad, of course).

I’ve been blocking this last iOS update since it started nagging me — I select “Details”, which opens the “Settings” page. Then I go back to doing what I was doing before. Each time the nag occurs, I click “Details” and return to my normal work (FB, Kindle, email, HBO GO, whatever).

At least once a week, I power it off overnight while charging, then turn it on in the morning, just to reset everything.

I have several devices, after deleting the downloaded update, it does not redownload the same update. Now when the next update version gets released a few weeks later, then yes the download starts again. I then delete that updated for another stay of execution if you will.

The primary reason why Apple has done this and now Microsoft is following suit is that it is a market share thing. The corporations can brag that they have the most popular software platform. Looks good for stock holders. Its all BS.

And if you think all these “security” updates are keeping you safe, LOL, you really don’t understand technology, the internet, you really don’t have a clue. Because if your computer goes belly up, you have no clue how to fix it yourself. Everyone that thinks that they know how to post on social media thinks that they know computers. In the end you have no idea why your devices are running like crap because your applying updates over updates over updates. Meanwhile I have a iPad2 with iOS7 that flies and the original battery is still reunning strong, no BS. Why because I choose a freash clean install. Most people don’t know how to do something like that, they just push OTA updates and because all the system files are fragmented, the files access is terrible and the battery depletes itself.

I wish we could ignore the software updates completely. I do not want to update my iOS devices. I want to go into Settings and into Software Update and turn it off.

I agree with the updates on updates on updates, a lot of cruft piles on. That’s why everything runs so slow, even if you restore as new a barely year old device onto new iOS software it runs slow. They don’t optimize for performance, I guess they optimize for shareholders? My best performing iPad is an iPad with iOS 5, it is faster than my friends iPad Pro for any normal interaction with the iOS!

The iTunes App Store Updates setting does not impact the iOS system software updates which are forced onto users at all times constantly like Microsoft does. Apple has become Microsoft of the 90s.

There is no way to avoid iOS software updates except staying off Wi-Fi or having a full storage iPhone. You can delete an iOS update if you catch it after it downloads, but it downloads again after it is on wi-fi again. iOS updates are coming and you can’t stop it.

They have to stop doing this. It’s insane and I am so mad right now. I was using my phone for doing a time lapse today. I have been recording the whole day. Before I started I got this stupid reminder and I clicked no because I don’t want to update and after that i put my phone in airplane mode. Then I started my recording and now for just 20 min ago I checked the screen and that stupid pop up was there again and it had stopped my time lapse. I lost 3 hours….. I was doing a 12 hours recording. Apple can no be trusted anymore. It always something new with them. They call this a good experience? Even if you delete the update it comes back. Like someone said here. The whole point with to delete something is because you don’t want it.

This is such a bummer. Lessons learned from the past I stopped updating to newer iOSs that Apple releases every year because these “updates” don’t do any good to your devices, if they do anything they just make it slower and unstable, especially for older models. It should be a user’s choice whether or not to upgrade to the newer iOS. For someone who is happy with his/her device and do not need any update, it becomes really frustrating to receive pesky reminders every morning with an auto-downloaded update sitting on their phone. Even after deleting that huge update, it gets redownloaded, well played Apple! For someone on a limited internet plan, it is really frustrating. Apple should revisit and restructure their software update policy, but wait, the only thing they care about is how to make more money by fooling consumers into upgrading their perfectly functioning devices and making them slower and worthless after the update, and having them buy another piece of junk eventually. Stop shoving up your useless updates into people’s faces Apple! I am still on iOS 8 on my iPhone and do not receive update reminders, but with iOS 9 on my other device, my heart cries every time I see that reminder – One of the thousand reasons why I didn’t upgrade to iOS 9 on my iPhone. I had to throw away my iPhone 4 and 4s just because iOS 7 and 8 respectively rendered them useless.

The updates are basically malware to force people to buy a new phone. The only “innovating” Apple has done since getting a gay CEO is adding colors. Lol. What a joke. They could make phones that people actually want to buy because they are an improvement but they hold back features so they have something to change slightly next year. It’s so funny trying to explain this to brainwashed fanboys who can only argue that 2 year old hardware is ancient. If apple was worth their salt they would have seperate updates for security and os. Or ideally they could actually make iOS updates that do improve functionality for older phones. Or are their coders that inept? Or do they not have enough money to do that? And I almost forgot about the battery sabotage that every apple update kills. It is blatantly obvious that the only way they sell so many new phones is because they decide when we buy one. That’s every 2 years. People always say at least apple supports older devices while android does not. Wrong. What apple does is not support. I would take no update over sabotage updates any day. Apple is do rich and arrogant that they don’t even care anymore. If your business model is to fool and rip off your customers then the apple has rotted

For any platform, if you don’t do the updates, you aren’t getting the security fixes.

There have been at least a couple each year that are “completely own the device by visiting a website” – which can be accomplished through a wifi sign-in agreement for example
Another story on how quick hacks can happen: http://www.foxnews.com/tech/2014/02/07/nbc-news-takes-heat-over-sochi-phone-hacking-report.html/ never thought I’d share a fox news article, but being critical of NBC, they gave more good info on the story than most others – including tips for users to try to prevent being hacked

So if you aren’t getting bugged to do updates, be concerned, and if your older device can’t do updates (or you don’t want to slow it down) – be very very careful with how you use that device.

This is all about slowing down older iPhone’s and iPads so the owner is forced to purchase a new one. It’s a shameful act by Apple and coupled with the inability to install an older version of iOS should be stopped. Shame on you Apple.

This issue is bigger than an annoyance. As a type 1 diabetic, I have a Dexcom G5 continuous blood glucose monitor. It uses bluetooth to track and warn of my blood sugar levels when they are out of range. EVERY update, and I mean EVERY update, stops my ability to track and control my blood sugar levels until Dexcom updates their app. It’s not only annoying, it’s dangerous for it to force updates on me. If it weren’t for the fact that Dexcom’s Android app is eternally delayed, I would have left Apple months ago. I cannot wait to leave. They are now the Microsoft I was trying to get away from by moving to them. I’ve already moved back to Windows and abandoned my iPad. Now I am just waiting for this Dexcom Android app to ditch my iPhone.

Thanks for all the ideas, but I want to permanent solution at least gives me the option to download it if I want. Every single time I update my phone it always messes it up somehow. Someone should just go to Apple Inc. and see what they could do to fix this problem, although I would go myself but I’m too young. All a update is for them is a loophole they fixed one problem to cause another and it goes back-and-forth and back-and-forth. Come on there’s got to be something nowadays that they’re doing with the updates that are illegal can’t anyone think of anything.

What is the point of allowing users to delete the update if it then goes and redownloads it again, and there is nothing the user could do to prevent this?

I am so sick of this daily nagging. I have 4 Apple devices and have to see this message 4 times a day.

If Apple wants people to download their stupid little updates, make sure the damn thing works! It’s like playing Russian Roulette each time we install an upgrade. The reason I used to like Apple and switched from MS, was because “things just worked”. Now their products are no different from MS. There’s always a problem as soon as I upgrade to anything.

The nagging isn’t enough to make me leave Apple for MS/Android yet, especially as Android has its own set of problems. But I have noticed that in recent years, I have started to disintegrate myself from Apple and its ecosystem. I even changed my habit of not being too invested in my phone. I use very few apps nowadays, knowing that the data I input could one day be lost with an update etc. If an app that stores my data isn’t cross platform or doesn’t have an export / dropbox feature, I won’t use it. Now the iPhone is just a phone with browser and a camera and some news/messaging app to me. I can switch to another platform without much hassle. It’s not the way I would have wanted this, but I am being forced into this situation with the unreliability of Apple software. (Hardware is still good for me so far, so no complaints there.)

This is one of the reasons I just can’t stand Apple. I avaoid them as much as I can. But I’m using an iPad when performing music so I need it to work. Last update Apple suddenly decided to ruin the support for most usb hubs, by having it complain about voltage. It does have the correct voltage support – but it will still stop it because Apple decided so. I managed to trick it with a new hub.

So the iPad can’t run my keyboard because it “demands too much power”. But if I connect a hub, and then the keyobard to the hub – the iPad cares about the hub and then it works. Last update lowered the limit so I had to get a new hub.

A HUGE problem with the automated updates is for many of us, we are at times connected to networks where we have a data plan that charges us by the GB. It is TOTALLY INAPPROPRIATE to make it so hard to avoid data charges incurred from these updates by making them only on-demand-of-the user. Should I send Apple a bill for them? In other cases, slow public networks cause network performance problems when the download that I don’t want is running. My temporary solution is to make sure my device has not enough memory to download the update by filling it up with space-wasting junk, but that causes other problems (app crashes, etc.). When I’m travelling, I don’t have the option to block the update sites in a router or firewall.

According to the article, the update will not auto-download unless you are on wifi. I suppose in your case, your wifi plan is also metered, which means you will still get charged. Your message was ambiguous on this point. Anyway, I too would be very frustrated in I were in the same situation as you.

dam you Apple! your not the boss of me!!! when did you merge with MSN? I suppose if someone built an app to stop your pestering upgrades they would soon find that it is no longer compatible? wish i wasnt such an addict to internet…. i think i need to go to internet users anonymous meetings… IUA help me get off this crap… constantly looking for a fix… wait a minute… thats apple!

In the other hand I noticed my mobile keep turn itself off even if the battery is 40-50%.
Then it says needs to charge. After few minutes I can turn it on again and use it for about 2-3 minutes max. It always happen when the outside temperature is under 10 degrees. I using iphone 6s and I had the same issue with my old 4s as well. Crap

I find this update reminder quite harrasing and annoying dictatorship. I am happy with my mobile the way it is and dont want to update . This is the mobile that I paid for and want to keep and organised the way I want it. I am very unhappy about this disrespectful thing. If they don’t stop it I will change to android and claim my money back! Also many customer around me..

Theses damn updates ruined my old iPad2 which drove me crazy (I had an Irish fit and chucked it out of the window) but like a fool, and still thinking that the old Mac ethos couldn’t be totally dead, bought a new iPad Air2….
Do the Apple bigwigs read forums like yours? Don’t they get it that they’re turning away loyal Mac customers with this stuff? I bought into Mac after years of Microsoft driving me nuts with technical glitches that I couldn’t sort out – I’m not an IT engineer and just wanted the damn machine to do what I wanted and nothing else – and five years ago the Mac was a revelation, and there seemed to be some pride in the company that old Macs could be updated and could run nearly as well as new ones. Now Post-Jobs they’re worse than Microsoft. Bloody idiots! Well they’re losing me, another screw up and I’m off…..

Same here. I switched to Apple in 2005/6. I guess any company that becomes a monopoly/duopoly turns “evil”. I am guessing that by 2020, I would probably be back with Microsoft, or go with Linux. Linux needs better mobile support though.

And before anyone says “good luck finding a good app on Linux”, I only have one thing to say. Apple put me off using apps. So I only need the basics. Whatsapp is probably the biggest issue for me. But since I hardly use any apps anyway, I could just buy a cheap Xiaomi Android phone and use that. I could afford to change my phone three times as often as using an iPhone.

I have an iPad 2, which has challenges running recent iOS versions due to processor speed and video hardware limitations. Obviously Apple is aware. The iOS 8 updates forced my iPad into an encrypted backup, with an unknown password. AppleCare Reps said too bad. Wipe it and install as a new iPad – which only allows the most recent iOS version. Some apps are then unstable, and Safari now runs slow. Chrome won’t even open some sites, or login functions. Now, I hear the iPad 2 may fail or lock up with iOS 9.3 versions, so no, I don’t want Apple to break my $950 tablet. I don’t want to pay Verizon more $ per month to buy a replacement device.

And then there is my spouse, who is not a techie. Every update changes the way you do things. It’s a learning curve each time. Unwelcome annoyance.

We have a neighbor who is developmentally disabled who has tremendous difficulty learning the navigation changes. If it just changed “under the hood” but looked the same it would be OK, but it doesn’t work that way. So now they struggle every time to catch up. That’s really offensive, and should be an ADA violation/class action.

Angry with Apple just on principal.. I will not be pestered or forced to download or install an ios against my will.
Thank you for the tip on blocking apple servers with my router.
It works great, and by using parental controls, I can also set the time I want so I can download new apps during mid day and plug my phone in at night without ever being pestered again.

Apple has become a company that is likely going to cause me to leave as well. If they knowingly refuse to allow people to choose not to update your device, this will be my last iphone or apple product purchase. As others habe said, the updates can cause your device to be so slow that the device is ruined. Apple is destroyed.

Greedy, in what way, Apple does not charge for updates. Updates fix bugs, security issues, enhancements allowing other apps and third party apps better perform, and the like.

If you are so mentally hostile about updates, then stick with the original iOS. Would you rather have bugs or an update that fixes them, improves your devices security, etc.? Your logic and language is quite childish.

Okay, I understand you want to add an update when you want; that would be nice. Now think of Android, Google pushes updates to carriers, but the carriers do not always allow users to download them. Carriers will often say “oh, you want the latest Andriod OS purchase a new phone”. Some of my friends have Android devices that clearly can handle the latest update or newest Android OS, but their carrier denies them access to it. I much prefer Apple update process than Android connected to carriers.

The argument is that Apple pushes out updates that are bloated and purposefully cripple older devices, forcing the users of those devices to upgrade.
Therefore, making more money.

Note: I didn’t say I agree with that.
You can’t have it both ways.
Either you get updates that will eventually be so far advanced that you need better hardware to run it, or you hardly ever get update(like androids).

When I bought my 6s iPhone this past August 2016, I was transitioning from my iPhone 3GS bought in August 2009! It works faster now than my 6s!! I use it as an iPod and still get my emails there! I can delete my emails faster from both my email accounts on that 3Gs phone! And it’s on iOS 6.1.6

I’m sick of Apple pushing their software on to me. As a user I should have a choice. The main issue is that they push bloat-ware that causes older phones to be slow and react badly. I don’t want to keep on throwing out my perfectly good phone. Apple touts itself as a green company but the fact is that is no such thing. It is a Corporate that is out to make $$ at any cost even it that means forcing you to throw out your current older phone. I see a Class-Action Lawsuit looming here…. Any takers? Either that or I move to Android.

I have an iPhone and iPad that are provided by the company, and it seems like every single IOS update breaks something. It may be our MDM certificates so we can’t use campus WiFi, our email syncronization, or custom IOS apps. This nag is a rediculous, hamfisted ploy by Apple to keep their “adoption rate” numbers up. I don’t have this problem with my Windows or Android devices.

I do support users, though, who actually run the update, broken systems be damned, just because they’re tired of being annoyed by the popup. Then they get mad at my team when we say “Well, that’s what this update breaks. Sorry, you’re out of luck until engineering updates the back end.”

The problem is, that by the time they do so, Apple has another blasted update annoying everybody.

Another reason I will not buy another Apple product, and I currently own 10 devices. Been through some rough waters with Apple security personnel. Friendly, but not helpful. They are too controlling. Kind of like a communist government – they know what is best for everyone.

I am less troubled by the iOS updates than by Mac updates. I will not upgrade in the future on my Mac until version 10.xx.1 and probably not until 10.xx.2, mostly based on the experiences shared here. Generally the iOS updates have worked (7.0 gave my runtastic app fits) but waiting until x.1 makes sense. Finally, with .2 and iOS 9.2 I can tether my IPhone from my Mac without clicking on the iPhone’s Hotspot first, the feature that was promised in 10.11.0 but wasn’t really working well.

These are the only methods possible to avoid the iOS update notifications, if you don’t like it you can take that up with Apple and request they be less like Microsoft ramming cruddy software updates down your phone.

On principle I hate being nagged about updates. And I hate even more what Apple has become – the 1984 Big Brother that Apple railed against in the early Mac ads with the girl who throws a hammer thru the screen .

As Lewis Black says – Apple know better than you who you are.

Is there a jailbreak app Cydia that can stop this nonsense? My GF has an Ipod touch – 32 G that she won’t use because the constant notices bug her. And with every Ios update they screw up the 1 app she wants to use – Itunes – which is their advertising delivery system.

As you say, having auto download of a new Ios precludes backing up the content of your Iwhat-ever. Very dangerous and annoying.

Or get a DROID which I am considering after being a Mac owner for the last 32 years. I had a 128k Mac.

Constantly pestered about iOS updates, can’t stand it. Don’t want any of them at all! It’s all junk! The worst is that I have an iPad running iOS 6 since it’s the last decent iOS Apple ever made by one of Steve Jobs proteges who they fired because Mr PaintEverythingWhite didn’t like him, but Apple in their infinite wisdom, forced the iOS 7 download installer onto the device – which can’t be deleted in older versions of iOS!!!! – and so now the iPad is completely out of space because Apple stuck some cruddy installer onto the hardware that is now completely stuck. My coworker updated his same iPad to the latest version and he had to throw it out it became so unusably slow, rotating the screen had about a 6 second delay, opening Safari took 10-15 seconds, it became completely useless. He went and bought a Surface to replace it, trading in the iJunkPad into Microsoft Store, they said they see it often! Apple is pushing their users away, myself included.

Agree completely. You could jailbreak the iPad and remove it that way (and stop it from ever downloading) without incurring any security risk since iOS 6 security is already worthless. That’s what I did/am doing.

I too have an older ipod touch – put a new screen in it but I must have messed up the antenna because it won’t let me text or send anything…but I care not because i only use it for music (not itunes) since car industry is in bed with apple , i just connect ipod to my computer – load playlists i want and use usb in car. leaves my samsung available for everything else

No, DO NOT install the damn updates! They are all designed for planned obsolescence. It’s rather unfortunate that people got so brainwashed and all they are capable of doing today is just keep pressing buttons. The consequences are negligible because they will just buy a new device next year (or two years from now). Business owners will have to offset their expense of buying new devices by raising the prices of their services/products. And then the rest will start complaining that “prices are going up”. Well, duh! It’s because of YOU, dear brainwashed people for you can’t see the forest from the trees.

You took the words right out of my mouth!
You’re completely right, my friend. Couldn’t we make reliable, robust and user friendly products that last for 50 years, with the knowledge and technology of today? Course we could! We made it 50 years ago! :D But it’s not the interest of this rotting “system”. We all are just the fuel of the machine, which isn’t for us, it’s for our rulers: the banks, the multinational companies, the global shadow-authority of this planet.
I got a bit far from the topic, but guys, this is in the background of our pity struggles, in this particular instance of this iOS problem. Couldn’t Apple put a fckn’ switch in Settings, that we could turn automatic updates off with? :D Woould it be a great technical issue for the programmers of Apple? :D … it’s not their interest. So they don’t do that. We are not appreciated customers of them. We are the fuel to the machine…
Wake up, my friends! Start thinking, the only tool we have is to THINK.

In fact, I would not recommend installing any iOS software update on an older model iPhone, it will not improve performance and it will not help the iPhone in any way. I highly recommend avoiding system software updates on older model iPhones if you don’t want to be forced into buying a new device because the old one has become slow or unstable. This is based on years of experience with iPhone, and it has really accelerated since the more recent release cycles. I tell this to everyone I know who is not technically savvy or loaded, and it is good advice.

For the sake of letting people know all the facts and letting them decide on their own:
Your statement that an update will not help the phone in any way is 100% false.
Most updates that Apple puts out include security fixes that fix a security hole that existed.
While many may not be easily exploitable, to say that updates do nothing good is pure fallacy.

That being said, I generally don’t update old devices either, but I may if the exploit being fixed is easy enough to exploit that I feel it may be an issue.
Just my 2¢

Sorry but that’s tosh. I’ve owned several iPhones and iPads. Whenever you update the software the device rapidly becomes unusably slow and goes haywire. There may be some rare cases where security updates are beneficial but that surely is outweighed by your device becoming a pain to use.

Yes. Caching service, in particular. Get an old Mac Mini and run it with OS X server doing caching duties. Save your bandwidth, if nothing else. Includes iOS updates and apps, so get rid of the need for iTunes to sync those across.

I’d say that Apple has become Microsoft, but even Microsoft is less aggressive with the software updates than Apple now. That it downloads and uses bandwidth repeatedly without permission is shocking, especially given bandwidth limitations in the world and even in the USA which has 3rd world internet infrastructure in much of the country.

Apple needs to default to NOT automatically downloading anything, and NOT automatically installing anything. I can’t tell you how many people I know have just pressed buttons on their iPhone they see as they pop up and then have a problem and regret updating!

I should add, the phone companies love this auto-update behavior because so many people use them and then it breaks their iPhone and then think “I have a problem with my iPhone, I need to go to Verizon, ATT, T Mobile… oh they told me my iPhone is broken and need a new one I guess I have to spend another $600 on a new iPhone”

Wait a minute, what? You delete the update and it *still* downloads a fresh copy? I thought the whole point of the deletion mechanism (which was brought about by a lawsuit, IIRC) was that you could reclaim your disk space. If it’s really now the case that it redownloads the update, in spite of its being removed by the user and the user having been informed how to replace it, then that is an absolutely appalling display of hubris.

And yeah, Apple and the carriers are still in bed with each other to the exclusion of users–nothing new there, I’m afraid. Check out the carrier restrictions that Apple helpfully implements for the carriers to screw their consumers with, like LTE, tethering and FaceTime over cellular. Even on an unlocked GSM phone. It’s a disgrace.

Yes unfortunately if there is space available on the iPhone, the iOS update will redownload itself continuously if on wi-fi overnight or unattended. You delete it, wake up and it’s back. Delete again. It’s back. Rinse, repeat. Great user experience.

On that basis I am deleting the update and then ramming my iPad to the rafters with music and video so they cannot force download it again. Apple really are becoming as bad as Microsoft and they broke my son’s iPad with their last update. They do not support anyone running older versions of OS X when we spent a lot of money on their hardware in the first place. I’ve already wiped my Mac mini and now it boots into Ubuntu. Seriously considering a Linux based phone/tablet due to this bullying behaviour and I also hate the way they have this walled garden App Store. It just doesn’t sit right with me. F**k you Apple!!

You havent dealt with Windows 10 wanting to install over Windows 7……….. its horrendous.

Problem with IOS is that I am out somewhere and in the middle of an urgent situation where I am texting and calling people and when I close down to the home screen (on the way to doing something else in a crunch) that ridiculous nag screen appears.

Its far beyond stupidity. Having been around Apple from the start – I cant believe Steve Jobs would approve of such nagging. Its the furthest thing from simplicity.

I would recommend the past-perfect tense, and use “would have”, as in:
“I can’t believe Steve Jobs would have approved…”
See how the implication of the past is more apparent?
AND, I agree – Steve would not have approved! :)

If you use DD-WRT or OpenWRT you can filter only the apple devices you don’t want to be able to connect for an update while keeping available the devices you do wish to connect, like your MacBook…
Create an access restriction rule to filter via device MAC to appldnld.apple.com and mesu.apple.com. Only the devices with the MAC addresses you set in the rule list will be filtered and disallowed access to the URLs.

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